Fitbit Premium automatically renewed

[PickFam]

So my wife got an email stating the following:

This email is to remind you that your subscription with Fitbit will automatically renew soon.

Product Name                        Subscription Date  Expiration Date  Amount
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fitbit Premium™ Membership          03/23/2022           03/23/2023           0.00USD


Sincerely,
Fitbit Customer Support

We assumed that we wouldn't be charged anything because it appears that amount is zero. Now four days ago, we get charged with a $89 annual membership to Fitbit premium. Within hours of the autorenewal we had cancelled the autorenewal and tried to refund and get rid of the premium subscription but are being stonewalled. Fitibit support says they can't do anything because of their terms and conditions. But their own terms and conditions state: ": "Before charging you for a Subscription Term, we will notify you of the applicable fees, and the renewal will occur at the price then in effect for the Paid Service."

Why not send an email with the actual price that is going to be charged rather than suggesting it will be something else? What's even more unsurprising, we aren't the only ones.  @EastsideDick. @Uncajim@megamuphen @PayitFwd. @mwood00 @DisgruntledOz @Teresa46 @PamABC123 @sosad2  @DaveW64 @Thiochrome @Ammars27  all ran into the same issue. I'm even okay if they want to charge us for a full month of the service or some sort of cancellation fee that gives us a partial refund but to say we have to stick with a year long membership because they failed to properly notify us of how the trial and autorenewal process would be executed seems shady and questionable business practices.

I'll confess, our family has bought eight fitbits over the last three years, but I think this customer relations nightmare will cause us to drop them entirely. To argue that their hands are tied by their own terms and conditions is a farce. I'll be sure to highlight this with the many students at teach for many years to come as a prime example of customer mismangement.

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject and updated label

[megamuphen]

Dispute the charge with your credit card company. Easy to do and usually effective!

[PickFam]

That might be a convenient option for me except it is a long-drawn out process and doesn't solve the root cause, Fitbit not having reasonable refund policies. I think we can do better tha that.

[Teresa46]

I filed a complaint with the BBB. I loved my FitBit but I am very
disappointed especially with the sketchy customer service.

[PickFam]

This just seems to be a great example of losing years worth of product loyalty for a few dollars today. It's also unclear to me why they refunded some people when challenges went away but not everyone. It also doubly stings because the entire reason we were in the free trial period of fitbit premium was because we were part of the ionic watch recall debacle.

I'm sure at some point a moderator will come and say something unhelpful. But I think this is still very much an issue I will bring up again and again until it is resolved with us getting refunded.

[sosad2]

I just called customer service again and they gave me a full refund.  Looks like fitbit changed their policy and I'm grateful for that. 

[PickFam]

Any idea of what changed? You think I could have sucess? I have tried several times this past week to no success. I wonder what was the difference this time. Anybody else experience sucess?

[Rcole23]

I just made a post after experiencing a very similar problem.  I received a renewal email and attempted to cancel prior to the renewal.  The premium software in my case was provided by a third party reseller (I don't know why), titled Digital River which sells on behalf of FitBit.  I used their return process, only to be told that I need to contact fitbit at a certain email address.  Then I received a automated reply stating that this email no longer offering support at that address.  So I call them, and go through multiple contacts.  In the mean time, even though I had started up the cancellation process prior to the billing cycle renewing, it automatically renewed while I was diving through the support hoops of a mismanaged company only to be told that there is nothing that they can do, as per their policy, and that I will not receive a refund.  Follow their support process, which failed, and not honor a return because the renewal took place while following your process, bouncing between one vendor and another.  Both saying to deal with the other and no one taking responsibility.

FitBit Policy, which they love to hide behind, looks like this.  You ain't ever getting the money back., our Policy says we can't.  Allowing companies access to credit cards is the problem.  Stuff like this goes on and they walk all over you because the transaction is completed.  Its almost theft.  I am very unimpressed.  

I, like you, lived by FitBit watches.  Loved them.  Family of 5 and we all have their watches.  This sleazy treatment really turns me off and I will be looking to other vendors for my next smart watch.  I can't stand behind a company with values like these.  

Moderator edit: word choice 

[Sy.L]

I have same experience. They charged  $117.59 on April 1, 2023.

My email :

Product Name        Subscription Date  Expiration Date  Amount
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fitbit Premium™ Membership          04/01/2022           04/01/2023           0.00CAD

And is there any way we can get the money back ? 

[Sy.L]

Do you open dispute? How is the result? 

[Sy.L]

I tried to file with BBB.  I type " fitbit" , and could not find the company.  Could you help with it? 

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi everyone, and welcome to our new members.

Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts about Premium. Let me explain Fitbit Premium subscriptions are non-refundable and we recommend cancelling a subscription at any time before the renewal date to prevent a recurring charge at the end of your subscription term. For more details, see our Terms for paid services.

I'm sorry for this inconvenience and my best advice is to get in touch with your phone's app store to explore your options. Please know your feedback is truly appreciated.

@PickFam and @Sy.L Just to confirm, did you use a free trial before? I'm asking this as the email sent by Fitbit will only contain the information of your current subscription. This means, it'll show the date when it started and when it expires, as well as the amount of that subscription which should be 0.00 for free trials. To check how much it'll cost after your subscription period, you can visit our website.

[PickFam]

@LizzyFitbit. Thanks for replying.

I feel like we’re still talking past each other. We are concerned that Fitibit did not do as the terms as suggested. The terms state, “Before charging you for a Subscription Term, we will notify you of the applicable fees.” I can confirm we used the free trial and got the renewal through fitbit and not the app store. As you correctly noted, it shows information about our current subscription. However, what you did not address, is how misleading it is. When you get an auto-renewal notice, you don’t care what you have been paying for, but what you will be paying for. If we had known that the fee would be what it was, we would have cancelled before the auto-renewal. Why are Fitbit autorenewal notifications structured this way? Why do you have to jump through hoops to find out what the auto-renewal price would be?

We also don’t dispute what the terms say about refunds. We note that the COMPLETE section regarding refunds states the following: “When you cancel a Subscription, you cancel only future charges for your Subscription. You will not receive a refund for the current Subscription Term you paid for, but you will continue to have full access to that Subscription until the end of that current Subscription Term. At any time for any reason, we may provide a refund, discount, or other consideration (“credits”) to some or all of our users. The amount and form of such credits, and the decision to provide them, are at our sole and absolute discretion.”

So refunds can be allowed AT ANY TIME AND FOR ANY REASON. I think when customers are feeling mislead and immediately try to get rid of premium service because they were not warned clearly about the renewal costs that would be a refund worthy event but clearly Fitbit does not think so. The terms allow for the option at Fitbit's discretion. There is a choice and Fitbit’s decision to pretend there isn’t one is blatantly false.

Quite frankly, I’m disappointed. This is one of my worst customer services experiences with any company and has thoroughly soured me on the Fitbit brand. The fact the company will throw a long-term, multi-thousand dollar customer relationship for a less than $100 autorenewal dispute is so incredibly shortsighted for the company at best and brand damaging in the long-term.

[craneshana]

Yes, this exactly! I was just quoted the TOS by both chat and phone support today for this same issue. I had also received the “reminder” email showing a zero dollar charge because it was a free year subscription I received after the Ionic recall last year. When I logged into my account and there was no subscription info listed on my screen, and then checked the App Store to make sure it wasn’t there either, I assumed it was just a mistake email…until I got a notice for my $79 renewal fee having been charged today. I explained to both CS reps that I no longer use my Fitbit and want to cancel and need a refund. Same runaround as everyone else. It was only when I told the phone rep I’d be disputing the charge with our credit card company that they agreed to escalate it, but it’s been hours and I’ve yet to receive any emails from whoever handles escalated issues. At this point I feel like Fitbit is just trying to string me along so I don’t file a cc dispute. @LizzyFitbit 

[Sy.L]

 This is my email.  It says $0.00 but fitbit charged C$117.59 on April 1 2023, the free day. I was so confused and chatted with customer service. And I got " non refundable" replies. I read through the email again and again , I don't see any information about the  amount they will charge me and when they will charge me. But it is very hard to talk to their " customer service". Then I request to talk to their supervisor, and I got the same answer. Really need help with it. 

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi everyone.

Thanks for your continued reports. As mentioned before, services such as Fitbit Premium subscriptions are non-refundable and for this reason it's recommended to cancel before the renewal date, as described in our Terms for paid services.

I appreciate your feedback and you can always get in touch with your phone's app store to explore your options.

@Sy.L Thanks for the screenshot. If you used a free trial before, it'd explain why the email says $0.00 for your current subscription. However, after that date, you'll be charged for the subscription fee selected when joining Premium. For more details about the Premium plans, click here.

[PickFam]

Hi again. I'll try and lay out our concerns again.

1) We believe the reminder email is deceptive and doesn't properly inform people of what the premium subscription charges will be going forward.

2) We believe the full terms and conditions section on refunds does permit refunds to occur at Fitbit's discretion.

Can you address those two issues specifically and directly?

[trixygirl49]

I am having the same issue you have so perfectly articulated.  I had the free premium due to the recall of my Ionic watch.  I did not receive a renewal email and then yesterday received and email with charges.  I called 2 hours after receiving that email and was told sorry.....I will not stop until I have my money back.  

[trixygirl49]

Don't give up.  This subscription practice is not OK.  We may have to start a group outside of this monitored chat, as it seems, they are not listening to us.  

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi everyone.

Thanks for taking the time to share these reports. We’re aware of it and are working to identify a resolution as quickly as possible.

As you know, Premium services aren't refundable, for this reason we recommend contacting your phone's app store so they can look into your options. I'm sorry for this inconvenience and your feedback is truly appreciated. You can always review our Policy for Paid Services here.